Dark and Stormy Night Challenge
by theicemenace
Summary: Must begin AND end with the phrase, "It was a dark and stormy night…" and be between 500 and 1000 words. Who out there has the cajones to begin and end a story with a cliché?
1. Rodney

**A/N:** Okay, so ladygris comes to me and says we should start a new challenge. Every submission must begin AND end with the phrase, "It was a dark and stormy night…" and be between 500 and 1000 words. According to MS Word, this comes in at _exactly_ 1000 words without the note and title. We look forward to reading the works of those brave enough to begin and end a story with a cliché.

Enjoy!

~Sandy

**Dark and Stormy Night Challenge**

**Rodney**

"It was a dark and stormy night…I know that sounds like a cliché but it's true. The rain was coming down so hard that night I couldn't see more than a few feet in front of the car. Umbrellas and raincoats were useless against the onslaught. The only way to stay dry was to remain indoors but I was one of the few stupid enough to be out in this weather. It couldn't be helped though.

"I turned the radio up to try to drown out the sound of it slamming against the roof of the car but that just made my ears hurt so I shut it off and cranked up the heat. The tank was near full so that wasn't a problem.

"No other cars were on the road and…"

"What the hell, Rodney. That is the _corniest_ opening line to a story I've ever heard." John tossed a kernel of popcorn at his friend.

Teyla scowled at John and put a hand on Rodney's arm. "Please, Rodney, continue with your story."

The physicist crossed his arms and looked stubborn. "Not if _he's_ gonna criticize."

John opened his mouth though he didn't say a word when Ronon's hand came down on his shoulder. "Quiet."

"Thanks, Conan. Now, where was I?"

"No other cars were on the road…" Teyla prompted, smiling gently.

"Oh, yeah…well no other cars were on the road. Or so I thought. I'd just come around a hairpin turn when I saw headlights up ahead coming down _my_ side of the road. I flashed my lights but the driver kept coming."

Rodney stopped to take a drink of beer, his fourth in less than two hours, and toss back a handful of popcorn. He took his time chewing and took another drink.

"Rodney!"

"Okay, okay. Um…I swerved at the last second, the tires on the driver's side skidding in the mud off the edge of the pavement on the opposite side. But with split-second timing and incredible skill, I was able to get back on the road and continued on my way."

Scooting he chair away from Ronon, John grabbed another handful of popcorn. "Oh, yeah. That's _really_ scary. Can't you just cut to the part where someone gets killed or maimed or even just slightly annoyed?"

"No. The end loses its impact if you skip ahead."

Lorne adjusted his position and took a drink from his beer bottle. "Go ahead, doc. I'm listening even if no one else is."

Teyla leapt to the defense of her friends. "We're listening, Evan. Please, Rodney. Continue."

"Well, I kept going down this little go-nowhere road until there in front of me stood a figure all in black. It waved its arms signaling for me to stop. When I got close, I saw that it had no face. I hit the gas and zoomed past it through a huge puddle. A wall of water went up and over, completely covering it. When I looked back, it was gone as if it had melted."

John scoffed. "Like the Wicked Witch of the West?"

"_Yes_, like the Wicked Witch of the West." Rodney took another drink of his beer making a "hmm" sound when he realized the bottle was empty. "I, uh, finally made it back to the highway. By then the rain had slackened off some and I was able to make it to my destination. It had taken me more than two hours, I'd almost rolled my car, the one I'd just finished paying for, by the way, and was nearly attacked by a who-knows-what. I'd survived but didn't know that the night would end with my being severely injured." His left hand rubbed his right bicep in remembrance of the night.

Now the Athosian was worried about her friend. If the injury still bothered him, it had to have been bad. "How old were you again?"

"It was the summer I turned nineteen. Jeannie was eleven, almost twelve." Still rubbing his arm, he continued. "I pulled up in front and before I could do anything, the passenger door opened and there was a sudden sharp, stabbing pain in my right bicep."

Teyla's eyes were wide with fear for Rodney. "What happened? Was the person who hurt you caught?"

"Yeah, mom sent her to bed without supper. Which was better than what happened to _me_."

"Wait! _Jeannie_ hit you?" John was incredulous. _I expected a real horror story and all that happened was Rodney had been hit by his __sister__?_ _This __sucks__!_

"Yeah. She was small for her age but _really_ strong. Probably from the video games she played morning, noon and night." Rodney looked around at the faces of his friends. "What? She hit me really hard. I had a bruise for _two weeks_."

Sharing an eye roll with the others, Teyla injected as much sympathy as possible into her next question. "What happened to you? Aside from the bruise."

Rodney turned his head and mumbled. When he looked back at his friends they were watching and waiting for him to continue. "I was grounded. There! Are you happy? Oh, yes, I can see and hear that you are." He scowled as the others laughed.

John almost fell out of his chair, just managing to catch himself on the edge of the table. "You were in _college_ and you mother _grounded_ you?"

"Her house, her rules." He could see that his attempts at explaining were _not_ going over very well. "Okay, you've had your laugh. Who's next? Teyla?"

She shook her head. "I do not have a comparable tale to tell. None of mine are as scary as…" she snickered, "…your mother grounding you."

"Well, I _did_ forget my little sister at the mall for six hours while I went to the university library."

John finally stopped laughing though he still smirked. "Go ahead, Teyla. Tell us your scary story."

Flicking her eyes at Rodney, she began to speak. "It was a dark and stormy night on Athos…"


	2. Castle

**A/N:** This is my first Castle fic so please be kind. It's also the second in the "Dark and Stormy Night" challenge issued by ladygris and myself.

**Dark and Stormy Night Challenge**

**Castle**

It was a dark and stormy night. Rick Castle industriously tapped out his newest murder mysteries starring Nikki Heat. He was alone tonight, his mother at rehearsal for a new play and Alexis at the library studying then she'd be staying the night with a friend. The loft was almost too quiet. If he'd been the morbid type he'd have said it was quiet as a tomb.

The lightening flashed bright with the thunder almost on top of it, startling him just a little. It came with greater frequency now, the rain coming down so hard it had to contain hail. He thought about looking out but he was on a roll with Nikki and her current murder and mayhem mystery so stopping wasn't an option. Or was it?

Deciding he needed a break, he pushed back from the desk, picked up his laptop and carried it to the kitchen. He set it on the island and opened the refrigerator reaching automatically for the bottle of fruit juice, changed his mind and went to the cabinet where he kept the hard stuff. He poured two fingers of scotch letting the creamy smooth richness slide down his throat.

Back in the kitchen, he went to the refrigerator taking out caviar and foie gras. Reaching into the pantry he took out a box of buttery tasting club crackers. Foie gras was meant to be eaten on lightly toasted bread, but he didn't feel like going to the trouble of trimming the crusts. He grinned at the scandalized expressions he'd get from the elite of Manhattan high society at the _faux pas_ he was committing at this very moment. Pulling his laptop to him so he could eat and work, he chewed while he typed.

Nikki and Jameson Rook had just been called to the scene of a fourth murder when Castle heard a creak. His hands stilled on the keys of his laptop, his head cocked to the side. The third step from the top going to the second floor creaked when it rained and it had been raining for hours. It only made that noise when someone stepped on it. He flicked on the light and looked up, seeing no one. With a shrug, he shut the light off again, going back to the kitchen and Nikki.

An especially bright bolt of lightning was followed by a _crrrr-ack!_ of thunder and the loft was plunged into darkness, the only light coming from the monitor on the laptop. With a heavy sigh, he carried his snack, drink and computer to his office and settled back to watch the rain for a while.

Letting his head rest on the back of the sofa, the glass cradled in his right hand, Castle dozed off. He awoke with the next lightning flash and thunder crash, slightly disoriented. Another lightning flash silhouetted a figure dressed in black standing in the window of the apartment directly across from him. The same one where Beckett had staged his birthday gift, a dinner theater style murder mystery. The best-selling author would never have admitted it out loud, but he was scared.

He stood, set the glass on the table and reached for his cell. It was already pressed to his ear when the figure in the window turned and walked toward the front door, passing by each window. And though he continued to watch, no one ever came out into the hall. Letting his hand fall to his side, the phone still gripped tight, he jumped, nearly falling when someone knocked on the door.

Taking the fireplace poker, Castle crept to the door, turned the lock and yanked the door open. He held the poker high over his head ready to defend himself and his home. The figure in the doorway stared at him for a long moment, taking in his determine stance and slightly panicked expression.

"Da-ad! What're you _doing?_" The figure stepped just inside and was followed by another figure also in black. No, it wasn't black. One was dark blue and the other a sort of greenish. But in the dark, both looked black.

Recognizing the voice of his daughter, Castle took a deep breath and lowered his arms as the hoods were pushed off their heads revealing Alexis and her friend Beth. The two girls removed their raincoats and hung them on the coat rack then slipped their sodden footwear off and set them to the side to dry while he closed and locked the front door.

With a grin, Alexis pushed the wet hair out of her face. "Didn't know you were afraid of the dark, Dad."

His daughter and her friend followed Castle into the living room where he replaced the poker. "Funny. I thought the two of you were spending the night at Beth's."

"We _were,_ but the bridge is closed due to flooding." His daughter held up her phone. "I tried to call, but you didn't answer."

"Oh." The lights came on again just as the storm began to let up. "Why don't you two get out of those wet clothes and into hot showers while I make you something hot to eat?

"Thanks, Mr. Castle." Beth followed Alexis and stopped at the bottom of the stairs, one foot on the bottom step. "Um, sorry we scared you, Mr. Castle."

"I wasn't _scared_. Just…startled."

"Right, Dad. And denial isn't a river in Egypt."

The girls disappeared into the darkness above, the third stair creaking when they stepped on it. Castle grinned as he took a soup tureen from the refrigerator. He poured the leftover chicken and potato soup into a pan and set it on the stove to heat.

He leaned on the island, laughing at himself. With a deep and foreboding voice, he whispered, "It was a dark and stormy night…"

**End**


	3. Human Target

**A/N:** This is my first Human Target fic and I've only seen one episode so please be kind. It's the third in the "Dark and Stormy Night" challenge issued by ladygris and myself. See chapter one for details.

Many thanks to Lithane for the opening and closing lines. Um…yeah. Thanks.

Word count: 926

**Dark and Stormy Night Challenge**

**Human Target**

It was a dark and stormy night and Guerrero had a knife. Not at all unusual, but at the moment he had it out, trimming his nails and occasionally wiggling the tip between his teeth then making sucking noises. And no, it wasn't raining. At least not at the moment, though Chance would have preferred it because it would suit his mood better. Somehow the people their client had once worked for had found them.

Winston glared at the smaller man who pretended not to see. But they all knew better. The throwback to the seventies saw everything. Turning his head, Guerrero flipped the knife so he was now holding the blade, drew back his arm and threw. There was a squishy sound and a groan followed by a thud. Without batting an eye, he lifted the leg of his pants and produced another knife, flicking it open with practiced ease.

Lifting up just enough to see over the crate they were hiding behind, Chance tried to locate their quarry. Thirty meters away at eleven o'clock a shadow move and again Guerrero threw his knife. And again the squish-groan-thud.

"Two down. Five to go."

"Sure it's not six?"

His back leaning against the crate, Guerrero huffed in irritation and nodded. Pointing over his shoulder, in a bored tone, he said, "One there, one there, two over there and the one outside keeping watch."

Chance didn't need to confirm it. The man was right. "We need to end this. Our client is due to testify in the morning and we need to get him there. What I'd like to know is how they found us. We didn't even tell the DA about this place."

"Does it really matter at this point?" Chance conceded and Winston cringed as lightning flashed then the thunder rolled through behind it. "Five seconds. Getting closer. You know, I'm not sure, but I think I left my car windows cracked. The upholstery'll get wet."

"Dude, you really gotta get your priorities straight. Who cares about your damn car seats?"

"Uh, well the rental car agency might as it belongs to them and I don't want to pay to have it cleaned."

"Stop it you two. We need to get out of here and find somewhere to keep Meloni until morning." Chance checked the time. "There's a No-Tell Motel about twenty minutes from here. We'll take him there."

Shifting around onto his knees, Guerrero was about to throw another knife when the sound of sirens reached them just before lightning flared and the rain started again. It was unlikely the police were coming to this place but it had the effect of chasing the bad guys away.

Running feet, the slamming of a door and a car screeched out of the parking lot. The three men stood but didn't let down their guards just in case. After a careful check of the interior, they went to the broom closet near the office and unlocked it. Inside, a man in khakis, a button down shirt and loafers sat tied up in the corner.

Crouching in front of him, Winston pulled the gag from his mouth and let it hang around his neck.

"What the _hell_ did you have to tie me up for? I wanna get out of here alive more than _you_ do. And what was all that shooting before? How did they find us? Oh, crap! It's raining again. My nose runs when it rains. And…" Meloni's invective cut off when Winston pulled the gag up and into his mouth again. He continued to harangue his protectors but at least they could ignore him now.

Chance and Guerrero stood Meloni on his bound feet and Chance tossed him over his shoulder while Winston went ahead and opened the car doors. Meloni was tossed on his back in the rear seat and covered with a blanket.

As they pulled away from the deserted factory, Guerrero asked, "This No-Tell Motel. Does it by any chance have a Musketeer as its logo?"

Giving his colleague a puzzled look, Chance said, "Yeah. Why?"

"No reason. Uh, I'll wait outside with our client, if you don't mind. And park where the manager can't see the car."

**The Next Morning**

With a hangdog expression, Meloni dressed for court in the tiny bathroom the four men had shared through the night. He'd tried escaping by going out the bathroom window but Winston was standing there, arms crossed and feet planted shoulder width. He didn't say anything, just stared at Meloni until he closed the window again.

It wasn't raining anymore when they left the motel room and they encountered no other obstacles or encumbrances on the way to the federal courts building on Main. With a silent sigh of relief, Chance and his friends made the call that would facilitate their payment being processed. After which they returned to their base of operations.

Stretched out on the sofa, Guerrero flicked through the TV channels trying to find something to watch. He settled on the Classic Movie Channel's broadcast of one of Elizabeth Taylor's greatest films. With a sigh, he watched Maggie, the Cat's continuous rejection at the hands of her alcoholic husband.

Winston's phone beeped. "What the hell? The rental agency is charging me to have the interior cleaned. I _told_ you this would happen." His rant continued until Guerrero snickered. "_Why_ are you laughing?"

Guerrero shut off the television and sat up, his feet on the coffee table. "Seriously, what's up, Dude? It's not like it's a dark and stormy night."

**End**


	4. Teyla

**A/N:** The challenge is to write a fic that begins AND ends with "It was a dark and stormy night." It must be between 500 and 1000 words.

Word count: 710

Enjoy,

~Sandy

**Dark and Stormy Night Challenge**

**Teyla**

"It was a dark and stormy night on Athos several years before you and your people first arrived. My father was not well enough to travel." Teyla paused to organize her thoughts and decide if she really wanted to tell this story. With an internal nod, she shifted in her chair, crossing one leg over the other. "He sent Kanaan and me to the next village with a message. I did not and do not know what the contents of that message were as it was lost in the forest that night."

Pausing to take a drink, she glanced at the expectant faces around her. "It had been clear when we left our homes, a few clouds in the sky and a light breeze blowing. We'd been gone about two hours when the storm came up unexpectedly. The sky darkened with black clouds and the wind was so strong that I was nearly blown off the side of a cliff. Kanaan caught me but the package containing the message for the next village fell over the side. As it was a sheer cliff and we hadn't brought rope, we were unable to retrieve it. With the storm coming, it would not have been wise to attempt such a foolhardy feat."

"So you've known Kanaan a long time?" Rodney asked.

Teyla nodded, smiling in reminiscence. "I do not remember a time when I have not known him. We were born within days of each other, trained to be warriors together and grew into adulthood as the best of friends."

John looked at his foot resting on his knee and without meaning to, asked, "When did it change?"

With a slight huff, Teyla rolled her eyes at him. "May I _please_ finish my story?"

"Yeah. Sorry."

"It hadn't yet begun to rain so we gathered enough wood for a fire and to keep us warm through the night and took shelter in a cave that we used to play in as children. Moving as far from the opening as we could, we started the fire. Using our provisions, Kanaan made a hearty soup for our meal while I guarded the entrance from predators that would also attempt to seek protection."

"So how big _was_ this cave because I get claustrophobic and…"

John reached out and smacked Rodney on the back of the head. "Quiet. I wanna hear this."

"The cave was quite large enough for two for the purpose of a shelter, Rodney, so it does not matter." Her tone was even but held a warning for the physicist. "After we'd eaten, we talked for a time then lay down to sleep with the fire between us and the raging thunderstorm. When we awoke in the morning, Kanaan was pressed against by back with his arms around me." Her voice became wistful. "It was the first time I felt something other than simple friendship for him and though he didn't say anything, I knew he felt it as well. The storm had passed while we slept so we returned home. It was not long after that my father took to his bed, no longer able to care for himself in even the simplest of way. Within weeks he was gone and I became the leader of our people."

The men didn't say anything, allowing her the time she needed to return to the present and file the sad memory away once more.

She got to her feet, a smile of welcome on her beautiful face when Kanaan and Torren entered the Mess Hall and came to her side. "I am sorry to disturb this time with your friends, but Torren has been calling for you." Kanaan handed the boy to his mother, the couple said goodnight and left the men at the table.

Out in the hall, Kanaan drew Teyla to a stop in front of the large window that looked out onto the ocean where Atlantis floated. His arm wrapped around her shoulder pulling her close to his side. Together they watched the waves crash onto the East pier as rain and hail pelted every exposed surface of Atlantis counting themselves very lucky not to be huddled in that tiny cave because, once again, it was a dark and stormy night.

**End**


	5. John and Dave

**A/N:** The challenge is to write a fic that begins AND ends with "It was a dark and stormy night." It must be between 500 and 1000 words.

Um…coffee and food alert!

Word count: 725

Enjoy,

~Sandy

**Dark and Stormy Night Challenge**

**John and Dave**

"It was a dark and stormy niiiiiight…" Ten-year-old John Sheppard said in a spooky voice. His younger brother Dave sat across from him in the two-man tent they'd pitched in the yard. They set it up close to the pool house in case they needed to "go" during the night or wanted drinks and snacks. Turning on his flashlight, he stuck it up under his chin giving his face and eerie cast.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do all your ghost stories start with…" Dave deepened his voice, wiggling his fingers, "…'it was a dark and stormy niiiiiiight'?"

John huffed. "Because dark and stormy nights make the story scarier."

"Oh." Dave seemed to be thinking about that. John opened his mouth to continue his story, Dave interrupting again. "Okay. So it's scarier when it's lightning and thundering. I get that. But why can't the story start when the sun is shining?"

"Because it _doesn't._"

"Okay." He waited but John didn't continue. "Well? Go ahead."

Flicking off the flashlight, John crossed his arms stubbornly. "Don't wanna. You've ruined the whole _thing_." He threw himself down on his sleeping bag facing the side of the tent, pulled it up to his neck and scrunched his pillow under his head.

"But Johnny…" Dave whined as only a younger brother can, "I wanna hear the _story_."

"Forget it."

Dave almost growled. He and Johnny hadn't spent much time together since their mom had been sick but she was doing better now and insisted they find an activity they could do that would give them some quality time alone. Now he'd spoiled it all. "I'm sorry I butted in." John didn't say anything so he got onto his hands and knees and reached over to shake him.

Without warning, John rolled over, his hands in the shapes of claws, his eyes very wide, and yelled "Aaaarrrrrgh!" scaring the living daylights out of his brother.

"Aaaahhh!" Dave fell onto his back, crawling away using his elbows and feet until he encountered the side of the tent.

John laughed so hard he bent at the waist, flopping over onto his side, rolling back and forth while Dave panted. A few more pants and he too started laughing until both were rolling around inside the tent, their sleeping bags getting tangled together. Because it was an old-fashion tent with wooden stakes and a center pole, their antics knocked it down, the canvas of the tent coming down on top of them causing them to laugh harder.

Eventually, their laughter played out and they battled out into the open and set about correcting the situation. That done, the headed for the pool house, used the bathroom, grabbed snacks and drinks from the refrigerator and returned to the tent.

Dave entered first then John. They stretched out on the floor, John reading out loud from his favorite Spiderman comic. When Spidey had trounced Doc Oc, John set the comic aside. "I'll finish my story now, if ya want."

"Cool!" Dave drew his knees up to his chest, took a quick drink of his Yoo-Hoo to fortify himself for the coming scariness and waited eagerly.

"It was a dark and stormy night…AAAAAAAAHHH!" John felt a cold hand grab the bare foot he'd left sticking out the flap of the tent. His scream scared Dave and both of them threw themselves to the back of the tent, John holding the flashlight out in front as if it were a weapon.

The grinning face of Joe, the gardener appeared in the opening. "Sorry if I scared yas, but I saw that foot a-stickin' out and couldn't resist." He sat down just outside, one leg bent, his arm resting on the knee. "Whatcha doin'?"

Dave took another drink of Yoo-Hoo to settle his nerves. "Johnny was gonna tell me a ghost story."

"How about _I_ tell yas one instead?"

John's eyes lit up. "That'd be sooo _cool_, Joe." Dave seconded the motion with a vigorous nod of his head.

Joe gestured and John passed him the flashlight. Flicking it on, he shined it up under his chin as John had done earlier. The gardener looked even scarier with his lined face, two days of beard growth, dark brown eyes, and work-roughened hands that he could never quite get all the dirt off of. "It was a _dark_ and _stormy_ niiiiight…"

**End**


	6. Evan

**A/N:** This DaSN submission is dedicated to Kavan Smith who is 41 years young today. Happy Birthday, Kavan!

Of the characters of Coughlin, Reed and Billig, only Reed was credited in the episode _Runner_. None of them were given first names or ranks so for the purpose of this story, they are as follows: Lieutenant Nick Reed, Lieutenant Paul Coughlin and Captain AJ Billig. Not that it matters. I'm just sayin'. ;-)

Word count: 712

Enjoy,

~Sandy

**Dark and Stormy Night Challenge**

**Lorne**

"It was a dark and stormy night…"

The clichéd phrase popped into Evan's head as he, Reed and Coughlin hunkered down under the stand of bamboo-like growth bent by the wind so that it formed a sort of shelter for them. Billig, the only one to think to bring a rain poncho, had volunteered for the recon and Evan was happy to let him do it. Rain was blown at them by the wind which, since they'd been on this Godforsaken planet, had appeared to come from every direction at once making it seem as if it purposely sought them out. Evan snorted to himself at the ridiculous thought and ducked his head as another blast of rain stung his face. The three men were facing each other in order to protect their weapons as much as possible.

Reed had pulled his head as far into the collar of his shirt and TAC vest as possible like a turtle that wasn't quite able to get into its shell. Suddenly, his head came up turning side to side, listening.

"Lieutenant?" Evan inquired. Of the four on his team, Reed's hearing was the most acute.

"Billig, sir." Because they were on radio silence, all reports were given in person, and sure enough, the wayward Captain arrived moments later.

Billig squatted next to his team leader facing out, his eyes scanning the surrounding area. "Sir, Sheppard's team is attempting to wait out the storm in a grove of trees to the Northwest. Except for Ronon who doesn't seem to care about the weather. Teldy's team is scattered to the East hiding in bushes. Mehra is behind a pile of boulders and is somewhat protected by the cliff wall behind her. Of the group, I'd say she and Ronon are the ones to be most wary of."

Nodding, Evan took the information into consideration. They would be the most dangerous partly because Mehra tended to be a little trigger happy at times like this. But also because she and Ronon were dating and often engaged in this type of drill for fun. Though the fact that they were on opposing teams may or may not work in favor of AR-2. Still, Ronon and Mehra knew each other's moves and therefore were the two to watch.

"Sir? Think it'll stop raining soon?" Coughlin was from New Mexico, a state that received an average annual rainfall of less than ten inches a year and he was _not_ a happy camper.

Looking up, Evan couldn't see any stars meaning the clouds still covered the sky from horizon to horizon. He shrugged. "Probably not."

"Dr. McKay didn't say _anything_ about it raining when we left to come here, sir." Reed's voice was just a little annoyed at the scientist.

A snort came out before Evan could stop it. "He also didn't tell us it was _night_ thereby giving _his_ team a tactical advantage."

"Oh, right. So what's our next move?"

"We need to split up, make it harder for them to catch us. Take 'em out one at a time." His teammates all nodded in agreement. He issued orders and one by one they moved out, paintball guns at the ready. They'd been bested by Sheppard's team on the last two outings and Teldy's team the time before that. He vowed that would _not_ happen tonight. They would win and it would be their choice of venue for the next round.

~~O~~

Creeping forward, Evan could see Porter up ahead. He waited for lightning to illuminate the area, the thunder covering his approach, and shot her in the stomach when she turned around, her big blue eyes wide in shock. Grinning when he heard the unladylike oath at being caught, he bowed his head in triumph and backed up, disappearing into the darkness once more.

A few minutes later, he took out McKay as well, getting him in the upper chest so that his face was now covered with green paint. The physicist grumbled and complained as he headed for the Stargate in disgrace.

Evan grinned and thought about telling this story to his children. Composing the tale in his head, he decided the best course was to start with the truth.

"Well, kids, it was a dark and stormy night…"

**End**

**A/N:** The paintball was an idea I (achem) _borrowed_ from ladygris. You can have it back now, just as I promised.


	7. John

**A/N:** This DaSN submission is dedicated to Lithane. As anyone who has read my work knows, John and Larrin are _not_ my favorite ship. In fact, it's one of my very _least_ favorite right up there with Jennifer and Ronon. The fact that I've written this story just means that I will do things for family and friends that I would _never_ do for anyone else. Happy Belated Birthday, friend!

FYI - Adult themes inside. This story has received the seal of approval from Lithane's spouse, ladygris.

Word count: 975

Enjoy,

~Sandy

**Dark and Stormy Night Challenge**

**Sheppard**

It was a dark and stormy night as Sheppard made his way through the halls of the ship that now served as the Travelers' residential quarters. Today was his and Larrin's anniversary…sort of. This was the day they'd first met four years ago when she'd captured and, he snorted, threatened to kill him several times despite their mutual attraction. And he'd actually admired her for it because, in the end, she was only doing what she thought was right for her people. No one could find fault with that.

He carried a bottle of champagne he'd ordered from Earth and chocolate covered fruit that looked like strawberries but had a different flavor and no seeds. Katana had assured him his fiancé wasn't allergic to them _or_ to chocolate. Setting the ice bucket on the floor, he used his free hand to try and make his hair behave though he knew it was useless. His mother had tried her own brand of behavior modification on him _and_ his hair though neither had worked.

The only time he hadn't had a problem with his hair was when he first went into basic and he'd been given the usual buzz cut. One side of his mouth lifted in remembrance. He'd hated it! But when he'd moved up through the ranks a little, the powers that be were a little more lax about hair styles. Though longer than many in the military, his was still regulation. And no way would he cut it that short again because he loved it when Larrin ran her finger through it while they were just sitting and talking or after hours of making love. Either activity suited him just fine as long as he did it with _her_.

He knocked on the door and it slid open on one of the most beautiful sights he'd ever seen. Sitting on the bed propped up by pillows, Larrin had one leg bent at the knee, the other straight with the sheet coming up between her legs and barely covering her up to her collarbone. Her right side was uncovered as well as were her arms and shoulders. One hand had gathered the material between her breasts with the other arm up over her head, her hand on the back of her neck. Around her neck was the guitar pick necklace the Athosian craftsman had made for him to present to her as a token of his love.

Her come-hither smile dropped to his right side where he wore the weapon she'd given him as her token and he wore for all to see. He felt her eyes on him the entire time he was opening the bottle and pouring them each a glass of the sparkling beverage.

The hand behind her head came out, her index finger gesturing him to her. He did as she asked, perching on the side of the bed and handing her one of the glasses. "On Earth, we celebrate special occasions with champagne. It's sort of a fancy wine."

"I wasn't certain you'd remembered."

John grinned, one eyebrow lifted impertinently. "How could I forget? It was the first time we kissed…"

"…then I shot you in the ass."

He kept his gaze steady on hers. "Let's leave that part out when we tell our kids the story of how we met."

She'd taken a drink from the glass and choked on it. "_Kids?_ As in more than _one?_"

"Yeah." He sipped the champagne. "I was thinking three, maybe four mini-me's running around is about all this universe can handle."

"Oh? And what makes you think they'll all be boys _or_ look like you?"

"_Me_ having all _girls?_" Shaking his head wryly, he grinned again. "Ya know, now that I think about it, I kinda like the idea of being the only guy in a household of women."

Larrin sat up, set both their glasses on the bedside table and framed his face with her palms. "Why don't we discuss it now?" Her words were innocent though her expression was not.

Feigning indifference, John stood up. "Sorry, but I _really_ need to get back to Atlantis. We have drills and inspections. There're reports for Woolsey, General O'Neill and the IOA. _And_ best of all, they're serving meat loaf in the Mess Hall tonight."

Relaxing back again, this time both hands going behind her head and allowing the sheet to slide down just a little. "Sure I can't change your mind?"

"I don't think you realize just how _good_ this meat loaf is." She just smiled at him. "If you have a better offer, let's hear it. But I do wanna warn you that it'll have to be _pretty_ special."

She arched her back, the sheet slipping a little more. "Only one way to find out."

With a shrug, he reached out and lifted the edge of the sheet letting nothing of what he was thinking show on his face. He turned his head quizzically side to side, like a dog trying to figure out what his favorite human was saying.

"Well?"

John removed his jacket, unbuckled his weapon, tossing both on the table next to the ice bucket. Sitting in the chair, he slowly and methodically removed his boots, tucking his socks inside. Hanging one arm over the back of the chair he crossed his feet at the ankles. He gave her a casual shrug and said, "Uncle."

"Uncle?" Larrin was confused by the reference.

"It means 'you win'." Without warning, he launched himself off the chair and dived onto the bed wrapping her in his arms and rolling until she was on top of him making her squeal.

For the rest of the night, the inside of their room was filled with light, warmth…and love. Who cared if it was a dark and stormy night?

**End**


	8. Jennifer

**A/N:** This DaSN submission is dedicated to ladygris as a big, humongous thanks for the work she did in making banners and wallpaper for my _Not a Hero_ series.

Word count: 745

Gracias and Namaste,

~Sandy

**Dark and Stormy Night Challenge**

**Keller**

It was a dark and stormy night as Jennifer stared out the window of the quarters she shared with her husband of just a few months. Though a clear and calm day on New Athos, rain, wind, lightning and thunder attacked and assaulted his team on their mission to relocate remains of a village nearly devastated by a Wraith attack.

Not many had remained, mostly women, children and a few older individuals who'd managed to escape by hiding in underground caverns. Atlantis had located others who had welcomed the refugees with open arms. But because both villages were far from the Stargate, getting them to and from took time as they refused to ride in any form of ground transportation and especially not a motorized vehicle.

And normally rain didn't bother her. No, her fear stemmed from the fact that a member of AR-7 had been struck and killed by lightning not long ago. She and her medical team had tried valiantly to save the man's life, but in the end, it had been futile. And she had to fill out yet another death certificate. She'd even offered to contact the family personally, but the team leader had claimed that as her responsibility. And Jennifer had been relieved to let her win that particular argument.

That possibility coupled with the update she'd just received from Chuck that a creek they had to traverse on foot had swollen beyond its banks, made her jumpy. The man she loved knew how to swim and had taught her himself while they'd been dating. Still, if the water was deep and raging, he could drown, along with everyone else.

Stepping away from the view of the moons reflected off the placid water, Jennifer took a long hot bath and dressed for bed. She slipped under the covers and hugged her husband's pillow to her chest inhaling the scent he'd left on the cotton certain she would not sleep a wink without knowing he was at least on his way home. Despite the turmoil of her emotions, she fell into a dreamless sleep.

~~O~~

Brushing a hand through his hair and shaking his head to dislodge as much of the water as possible, the man removed his TAC vest and hung it on the rack to dry. He'd already turned in his weapons, including his personal sidearm, asking the Lieutenant on duty in the armory to have it cleaned for him. Normally, he did that himself, but he was too wet and too tired to bother with it tonight.

He gave a preliminary report to the base commander promising a full accounting of events in the morning then followed his team to the Mess Hall. None of them had eaten in over twelve hours and though he really wanted nothing more than to just fall into bed with his wife and sleep for a day and a half, he knew his body needed fuel first then a long hot shower to remove the chill from his skin that seemed to reach all the way to his bones making his entire body ache. And now that the adrenaline had faded, his head began to pound in time with each beat of his heart. He seldom got migraines, but this felt like the beginnings of killer headache.

Going through the food line, he chose his favorite chicken and dumplings, a small salad, hot tea and a slice of warm apple pie. He thought he'd be too tired to even chew, but as the first bite touched his tongue, his survival instincts took over and he shoveled the food into his mouth as fast as he could only stopping when he reached the bottom of the bowl. His appetite sated for the moment, he carried his tray to the pass-through and hurried to his quarters.

Once inside the room, he saw that Jennifer was asleep, one hand resting on his pillow, her blonde hair spread around her like a halo. His love for her swelled as he quietly undressed, showered and pulled on his pj's. Carefully removing his wife's hand, he straightened the pillow, lifted the covers and slipped underneath trying not to wake her. But even in her sleep she knew he was there, softly murmuring his name as he cuddled into her warm embrace, the headache fading as if it had never been.

"Evan."

And with that one word, he no longer cared that it had been a dark and stormy night.

**End**


	9. Sam and Rodney

**A/N:** This DaSN submission is a pre-sequel to events from the _Not a Hero_ series.

Word count: 872

Namaste,

~Sandy

**Dark and Stormy Night Challenge**

**Sam and Rodney**

It was a dark and stormy night and Rodney was pissed. Sam was too but she didn't show it in the same way.

Rodney paced from one side of the room to the other with Kaleb, Ronon, his teammate Lieutenant Reed, Sam's brother, Mark and Radek watching as if it were a slow motion tennis match.

In the next room, Sam twisted her fingers together and bit her lower lip with Jeannie, Jennifer, Carolyn, Sam's sister-in-law Judith and Teyla looking on.

Mark and Judith's kids, Casey and Dylan, were playing with Madison in her room. Having been warned about staying clean and neat, they too were subdued.

In separate rooms so they wouldn't see each other before the wedding, both Rodney and Sam stared out at Jeannie's back yard where the wedding was to have taken place. The rain had started midafternoon. It was now after dark and it hadn't stopped yet. Not even for a few minutes.

Finally, Jeannie could take no more. "Ladies, come with me. Not you, Sam."

"Wh-but…"

"No buts. _Stay_."

Jeannie went next door not bothering to knock. "Guys, come with me."

"What's going on? Where are you taking them?" Rodney demanded.

"That's none of your business, big brother. Just stay put until you're called. And I mean it. Step even one _toe_ out and you'll regret it."

"_Fine_. But whatever it is had better not take long because I'm already _pissed off_. Sam and I should have been married by now."

One hand on the doorknob, Jeannie looked her brother in the eye, her expression softening. "And you will be, Mer. Soon. I promise."

~~O~~

The door closed behind his sister and Rodney went back to pacing. Somehow it had been easier to handle the situation with his friends around him. Now that they were gone, his emotions threatened to overwhelm him. Coffee would have helped, but he'd been forbidden, by Jeannie again, to have even a little in case he spilled it on his suit.

Tiring of ping-ponging, he carefully lay down on the bed, the one he and Sam would share on their wedding night before leaving on their honeymoon in the morning. He imagined her beside him now, cuddled against his side, drawing warmth and love from him and returning it in equal measure.

~~O~~

Sam got to her feet when music reached her through the closed door. Her friends and family could be heard talking in the living room with Jeannie's being the loudest as she issued orders with the authority of a general. She heard a knock on the door to the room where Rodney was, urgent voices then nothing but the music.

A few minutes later, her brother Mark came to the door. "Ready?"

"For what?"

"To get married." Behind him, the opening notes of the wedding march began. Sam smoothed the material of her simple floor length satin wedding gown, checked her short veil and nodded. He handed her the bouquet and she tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow letting him lead her to the end of the hall and down the stairs.

~~O~~

In the living room, the wedding arch Kaleb had made for them was in front of the fireplace, ivy and lights climbing up the sides and over the curve of the top. The wedding officiator, a bible held in both hands, awaited the other half of the happy couple. To the left stood Sam's attendants, Jennifer and Carolyn.

Sam was completely aware that their friends and family were gathered around to hear them say the vows that would officially join them as husband and wife, but she only had eyes for Rodney. He stood to the right, Ronon and Radek at his side, looking handsome and nervous. When he tried to tug at his collar, Ronon pulled his hand away with a small growl of warning almost making her laugh. She resisted knowing that, if she started, she wouldn't be able to stop and she wanted the beginning of their life together to go smoothly even if nothing else had.

When she and Mark reached the arch, he kissed her on the cheek and waited while Rodney moved to her side, taking her hand.

"Who gives this woman to be married to this man?" The officiator asked.

Mark grinned. "She gives herself freely with the love and blessing of her family and friends."

Jeannie stood awaiting her turn to speak.

"And who gives this man to be married to this woman?"

"He gives himself freely with the love and blessing of his family and friends." Jeannie's voice wavered just a little as she said the words.

"Please be seated." He waited while they complied. "Welcome one and all. We are gathered here today, uh, _tonight_ to celebrate the joining of Rodney and Samantha in the bonds of matrimony. Two people who love do not do so in isolation. Their love is a source of strength with which they may nourish not only each other, but the universe around them…"

Kaleb holding her hand, Jeannie allowed a few tears of happiness for her brother and Sam to escape because their big day was finally here and it was no longer _just_ a dark and stormy night.

**End**


	10. Madison

**A/N:** Thanks for reading the next submission for DaSN. See chapter one for the deets.

Caution: Sugar/fluff alert.

Word count: 743

Enjoy,

~Sandy

**Dark and Stormy Night Challenge**

**Madison**

It was a dark and stormy night in Vancouver, BC, and Madison Miller was _thrilled_. The power had gone out right in the middle of the Wii game she and her dad had been playing. She should have been annoyed, but she wasn't. Time with her dad was precious and she cherished every minute, just as she treasured the time with her mom and uncle.

Carrying a flashlight, she made her way to her bedroom to change into her pajamas and robe. Shoving her feet into slippers, she grabbed her new hardback book collection, several coloring books and crayons just in case, and her favorite stuffed animal. The latter was a purple and green dragon that Uncle Mer had won for her at the school fair. It had taken him over an hour and who knows how much money to knock down all the milk bottles.

Her uncle might have spent the rest of their day complaining about his sore arm, but he didn't. Every time he started whining, Madison would take hold of his hand, gaze adoringly up at him and ask him a question about science or drag him to yet another of the stomach-dropping rides she loved. Though she hadn't known him until she was four years old, it hadn't taken long to figure out how his mind worked. He was super smart, like her parents, but easily influenced, especially by her soon-to-be Aunt Jennifer.

Dad started a fire while Mom gathered everything they would need to make S'mores and popcorn. The girl praised her mother's foresight in buying the kind of popcorn that wasn't made in the microwave. It was almost like they were camping out.

Her uncle and Jennifer were already in the living room having also changed into their pajamas as had her parents. All were sipping cups of hot cocoa, the whipped cream not completely melted yet. On Jennifer's she could see multicolored dots, sprinkles that slowly sank into the cream to mix with the cocoa. In imitation of her uncle's fiancé, Madison added sprinkles to her own drink earning her a bright smile from the woman who had captured his heart.

"What should we do first?" Dad was sitting on the floor next to Mom, excited about this unexpected turn of events. He turned on his flashlight and stuck it up under his chin giving his face a spooky appearance. "Tell ghost stories?"

"This is _absurd_." Uncle Mer thought _most_ things were absurd. He was sitting on the sofa instead of the floor because of his bad back and knees. "I should go down to the power plant. I could have the grid back up in less than…" He started to get up, stopping in mid-sentence when Madison climbed onto his lap and slipped a slender arm around his neck.

"Uncle Mer, I'll make a deal with you."

"Oh? What sort of deal?"

He was intrigued as she knew he would be. "If you read the first chapter of one of my books _out loud_, I'll call you Uncle Rodney from now on."

"Really?" His eyes lit up.

"Uh-huh. Forever and ever." He took her smaller hand in his and they shook on it. Picking out a book, she handed it to him. _The Lord of the Ring: The Fellowship of the Ring._

And so he began to read. "When Mr. Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced that he would shortly be celebrating his eleventy-first birthday with a party of special magnificence, there was much talk and excitement in Hobbiton.

"Bilbo was very rich and very peculiar, and had been the wonder of the shire for sixty years, ever since his remarkable disappearance and unexpected return…"

Madison, cuddled in his arms and comforted by the rumble of her uncle's chest against her back as he read the words written so long ago by J.R.R. Tolkien, smiled at her mom and dad and winked. Both turned away to hide their grins though Uncle Rodney didn't notice or if he did, for once let it go without comment.

"The riches he had brought back from his travels had now become local legend, and it was popularly believed, whatever the old folk might say, that the Hill at Bag End was full of tunnels stuffed with treasure…"

Clutching her dragon and closing her eyes, Madison let the words flow around her, content with the presence of the ones she loved most dearly on this dark and stormy night.

**End**

**A/N:** _The Lord of the Rings_ is a high fantasy epic written by philologist and University of Oxford professor J.R.R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel _The Hobbit_ (1937), but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in stages between 1937 and 1949, much of it during the Second World War. It is the second best-selling novel ever written, with over 150 million copies sold.

Many thanks to ladygris for helping with the opening paragraphs of the story that Rodney reads to Madison.

~SL


	11. Madison II

**A/N:** Thanks for reading the next submission for DaSN. See chapter one for the deets.

Caution: DaniWilder, do NOT read.

Caution: Tissue/Mascara alert.

Word count: 975

Enjoy,

~Sandy

**Dark and Stormy Night Challenge**

**Madison II**

It was a dark and stormy night in Vancouver, BC, and Madison Miller was crying. She wasn't the only one though. Every now and then she'd hear a sniffle from her mother as she prepared the agenda for the class that she would be teaching next week when she took over as the head of the physics department at the university. She would be replacing her brother who'd never even gotten to work one day at a it.

Madison smiled soggily at the look on Rodney's face when she told him she'd be following in his footsteps as a theoretical physicist. It had made him so happy she wished she could see that look again, just for a moment.

The situation made her sad, but it also made her angry and happy at the same time.

She was sad that her beloved Uncle Rodney was gone and that his family and friends had to be without him.

The anger was at the manner of his death. How could he have known that the night maintenance team would be working in the adjacent room and that their repairs would cause a massive electrical surge to hit his lab while he was in there working late?

And she was exultant that two of his worst fears had not come to pass, that he would die lonely and alone.

He wasn't lonely because he had friends and family who loved him and were loved _by_ him and he could turn to them whenever he needed support.

And he hadn't died alone because-and she really didn't want to think about this part-her Uncle John had been with him. That's the _only_ thing that made her glad that he'd gone the way he had. The two men had been friends for so long that it was difficult to imagine one without the other though neither would've said so. That they'd met their ends together somehow seemed fitting. And for once it hadn't been John's fault for touching something he'd been told _not_ to touch. Somewhere along the line he'd _finally_ learned that lesson.

With a sigh and one last blow of her nose, Madison helped her mother clean the kitchen, sent her off to bed then watched the storm for a while before going to bed herself. As she lay in the dark, she thought about Aunt Jenn, and her cousins, Robert and Sasha, as well as Aunt Amanda, John's wife, and their kids, JR and Caroline. Her young cousins looked up to her so she'd managed to keep it together until she got home. Then she'd spent twenty minutes crying on her mother's lap.

Switching out the light, she rolled over onto her stomach and went to sleep.

**The Next Night**

Pulling to a stop in front of the family crypt and ignoring the rain, Madison got out and went around to the trunk. She took out a folding chair, a thermos of hot chocolate, and the book bag Rodney had given her when she first began university.

She entered her code on the keypad and entered, the lights coming on automatically. Standing there, wet and slightly chilled, she stepped forward to touch the letters and numbers carved into the new slab of marble just above the one where her father was interred.

Meredith Rodney McKay

_Omnia quaerite_

Question everything. It had been his motto, his mantra, and he'd instilled the same thirst for knowledge in his niece.

The words were followed by the year of his birth and the year of his…death. This year. The year he was supposed to be leaving Atlantis to head up the physics department at the university where his niece would soon be receiving her first doctorate in theoretical physics.

Setting the book bag on the floor, she unfolded the chair and set it close the wall. Removing the thermos, she poured the hot, sweet drink into Rodney's favorite cup, one that his sister, Jeannie had given him when he finally received the Nobel Prize. Taking out the book they'd been about to start, she addressed Rodney's headstone. "I know you have an aversion to Jane Austen in general and _Pride and Prejudice_ specifically, but it's my turn to choose, so just listen and don't complain or no hot chocolate for you." She opened it to the first page and began to read.

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.

"However little known the feeling or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighborhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters…"

At first her voice wavered with tears still unshed, but by the second paragraph it had steadied into the strong and soothing voice she'd gained at the age of thirteen. By then, she and Rodney had settled into a routine where together they chose a book to read. He'd take a copy to Atlantis and she'd keep a copy here in Vancouver, even taking it with her to and from classes. They took turns recording themselves reading and would send it to the other to be played when time permitted.

Now it was her turn. Though he had often balked at her choice of material, he eventually gave in as did Uncle John. Madison had never told Rodney, but she'd come to a similar deal with John about a year after the one with her uncle. Tomorrow she'd be at John's gravesite reading the newest Spiderman comic.

And so it was that she continued the tradition she'd one day pass on to her own children. A tradition that had begun so many years ago on one dark and stormy night.

**End**

**A/N:** _Pride and Prejudice_ is a novel by Jane Austen, first published in 1813. The story follows the main character Elizabeth Bennet as she deals with issues of manners, upbringing, morality, education and marriage in the society of the landed gentry of early 19th-century England. Elizabeth is the second of five daughters of a country gentleman, living near the fictional town of Meryton in Hertfordshire, near London.

The excerpt is taken from .

~SL


	12. Chuck

**A/N:** Thanks for reading the next submission for DaSN. See chapter one for the deets.

Word count: 870

Enjoy,

~Sandy

**Dark and Stormy Night Challenge**

**Chuck**

It was a dark and stormy night in San Francisco Bay and Chuck was depressed. He was on duty but with nothing to do just like everyone else. The city was in darkness due to Rodney completing a major overhaul of the power systems now that they had three ZedPMs. It wasn't a big deal except to those left behind while the rest were on leave.

Sitting in the bar with just the emergency lights on, he sighed, drank his beer and brooded. He'd shoved a few dozen bottles and cans into the ice makers in the kitchen so at least it was cold. Slouched in his chair, his eyes widened when a thought occurred to him. The beer was guzzled, the bottle recycled and Chuck was once again in a good mood.

Gathering his cronies around, he gave them quick instructions and headed out on his own quest.

~~O~~

Rodney sat at the console in the Chair Room drumming his fingers on the edge as if he were playing the piano, saw Radek and the other scientists glaring at him and stopped. They had now made it to the hurry-up-and-wait portion of the show, the part where the upgrades had to be applied. Because of the massive amount of data that was being transferred, it was going to take some time and nothing would get done until it was finished.

Through the open door Rodney saw the beam of a flashlight bobbing along the floor heralding the appearance of Chuck. "Dr. McKay, could I have a moment please?"

With a small amount of unease Rodney followed the senior gate tech out into the hall where they engaged in a short yet intense…discussion. With Rodney involved, that was not an unusual situation. But whereas he usually won through stubbornness and the fact that he was nearly always right, this time he lost.

The heads of Rodney's staff came up sharply when they heard him say, "Fine! If you can get it there, I'll do it."

~~O~~

Out in the hall again, Chuck pulled the walkie-talkie from his back pocket. "All units, Operation: Blackout is a go. Chang, Banks and Mehra meet me the Rec Room ASAP. Everyone else report." One by one his team came back with their progress and within thirty minutes everything had been set up. Chuckling to himself, Chuck thought, _this going to be fun!_

~~O~~

A commotion in the Gate Room brought Woolsey out of his office where he'd been reading by the emergency light and ignoring the bright flashes of lightning just as everyone else was…or so he'd assumed. But now he knew differently as he watched from the catwalk while a group of men and women set up chairs and variety of musical instruments. The most surprising was the piano. With the power out, he had no idea how they'd gotten it here from the Rec Room and wasn't sure he _wanted_ to know.

Others were on ladders turning the emergency lights so they shone on what was turning into a stage, if Woolsey didn't miss his guess. He hurried down the stairs and could now see that the few staff that remained on board had gathered around, curious as to what was going on. Some had taken seats on the steps while others leaned on the walls or had brought chairs.

The staff of Atlantis worked hard. They deserved to play hard as well, and this had the look of an impromptu moral-builder more than anything else. Woolsey found a seat on the steps next to Jennifer Keller-McKay. They shrugged at each other as neither knew what was going on though they didn't have long to wait.

~~O~~

Without an introduction, the musicians took their seats and prepared their instruments. The most shocking inclusion in the band was Rodney when he strode out and took a seat at the piano. He flexed his hands, wiggled his fingers and looked off stage for his cue, fingers poised over the keys. With a nod, he indicated he was ready.

Rodney's hands crashed onto the piano's keys in the familiar opening to one of Rock's best known songs by Bob Seger.

Two men came sliding across the floor. They were followed shortly by two women. All had their backs to the audience, dressed in shirts, boxers, socks and nothing else. When the rest of the band joined at the end of Rodney's piano intro, they turned around showing themselves to be Chuck, Amelia Banks, Kevin Chang and Dusty Mehra. Chuck did the singing with the other three as back-up performing their own version of the dance scene from the movie _Risky Business_.

"_Just take those old records off the shelf. I'll sit and listen to 'em by myself. Today's music ain't got the same soul. I like that old time rock and roll…_"

It wasn't long before their audience had been lifted out of their doldrums, clapping and singing along. A few even got up to dance.

Just as the song ended with a big finish, a super bright flash of lightening followed immediately by a loud _crrrrrraaaack_ of thunder made it seem as if Chuck and his group were receiving the seal of approval from the dark and stormy night.

**End**

**A/N:** "Old Time Rock and Roll" is a song by Bob Seger featured on his 1978 album _Stranger in Town_ and released as a single in 1979. It is a nostalgic look at the music of a previous generation. The song was featured in the Tom Cruise film _Risky Business_ and gained widespread fame because of its inclusion.


	13. Elizabeth

**A/N:** Thanks for reading the next submission for DaSN. See chapter one for the deets.

I know it's been a while since I've submitted one of these. Sorry.

Time frame: After "Lifeline."

Word count: 631

Enjoy,

~Sandy

**Dark and Stormy Night Challenge**

**Elizabeth**

It was a dark and stormy night on Asuras and the human form Replicators stayed inside in imitation of the Ancients they sought to emulate.

Elizabeth looked out the window of her quarters watching the drops slide down the outside of the stained glass, changing color as they passed over the different panels. Small puddles collected in the corners and curves of the shapes then were pushed on by the continuous assault from above. If she concentrated hard enough she could almost see the _Daedalus_ coming in for a landing on the east pier, heedless of the storm. Grinning, she heard Rodney complaining about the weather and how it would cause havoc with some experiment or other that he and his team were performing.

Hiding her thoughts from the collective wasn't easy. Oberoth and the others would wear away at her shields until she was too tired to keep pushing back. So she stopped hiding and let them see what was in her mind. The loneliness. The fear. Even the loathing and anger she felt for their kind. _Her_ kind now.

It no longer mattered if the others knew what she was thinking. To Atlantis she was dead, of that she was certain. Briefly she wondered what sort of service they'd had for her, how many had attended and what was said. Had John spoken about her? Had he been the one to tell Simon? Would Simon even care? They'd loved each other once and he was all she had left on Earth aside from a few friends. The SGC had the name of her attorney and she'd given Mr. Janak a list of people to contact in the event of her death. Simon was on that list.

She was still mostly human and needed organic nourishment to stay alive. Several of the others seemed to feel sorry for her and so had provided her with fruits, vegetables and nuts gathered from the mainland. Because this city was much like Atlantis, there were facilities for cooking. A piece of chicken or the occasional turkey sandwich would have been nice, but the ones who had been assigned to watch over her thought it illogical to consume the flesh of a living creature. With a small grin, she recalled _Star Trek_ and the similar beliefs of the Vulcans.

With a sigh, Elizabeth stood and went into the bathroom. After she'd showered and changed, she headed for the lab she'd been assigned to work in. Originally, she'd been sent to assist another group. The device they were working on meant nothing to her, and so the instructions for her task had been sent to her through the link. She had performed her work without making unnecessary conversation. On Atlantis, she had often worked late into the night without talking to anyone for hours.

When she tired, as her human body did, she returned to her quarters where she slept and dreamt of returning to Atlantis. The nanites continued to rebuild her body and soon she would have no need for sleep or food and she did _not_ look forward to that day.

Sometimes, just to keep her mind and hands busy, she would access the Ancient database and scan through the files looking for something that might help her return to Atlantis without bringing danger to the expedition.

One of those times she'd located research on ascension. Again with the aid of the link, she was able to translate enough that the research could go forward and Oberoth eventually assigned her to continue. In fact, he'd demanded that she do so.

As she delved into the mystery that had eluded the Ancients so many millennia ago, she again sighed. Just like her first few nights on Asuras, it was another dark and stormy night.

**End**


	14. Dusty

**A/N: **This is my next submission in the dark and stormy night challenge. No Beta, so all mistakes belong to moi.

~Sandy

Word count: 820

**A Dark and Stormy Night**

**Dusty Mehra**

It was a dark and stormy night in a small town in upstate New York and Dusty was annoyed. That aggravation increased when a burst of laughter came from living room. The higher tones of her mother and sister-in-law mixed with the deeper tones of her father, brother and Chuck.

When she requested leave for her father's birthday, she had no idea that Chuck would want to go with her. They'd only been seeing each other for six months. Even by Earth standards it was too soon for the meet-the-family level of a relationship.

His insistence on coming _now_ had to mean something, didn't it? In Canada, their traditions and rules when it came to dating weren't that different from the United States. In the beginning, he had put off them sleeping together until they'd gotten to know each other in this new way. Dusty had thought his old fashioned notions silly, but went along anyway though she still thought it was weird, and eventually her patience was rewarded.

With a small growl, she finished stacking mugs on the tray, added cream and sugar for her parents, spoons, napkins and the pot of coffee. Tucking a cookie tin under her arm, she carried everything to the living room, Chuck jumping immediately to his feet to help her.

As a Marine, it wasn't a big deal to have the men around her not bother with the common courtesies once afforded all women. In fact, she preferred it when they treated her as one of the guys. That meant she'd been accepted as a soldier. However, Chuck always had and probably always would treat her as a lady, as someone to be treated with kindness and respect.

On offworld missions, Dusty stood guard, took her turn on KP, slept on the ground and jumped into a firefight without a second thought just like the men. The one thing that bugged her about her CO was Sheppard's newest orders.

He'd recently shuffled the teams so that now she was on Lorne's team and her pal Reed had been moved to Teldy's. Dusty saw it as a demotion for the Marine Lieutenant, but Reed saw it as an opportunity to work with Teldy and her formerly all-female team.

Another change that had been made was Teyla excusing herself from offworld travel except in emergencies. Her son was growing up and often fussed when she left him with a sitter. The boy had gotten sick a few weeks ago while Team Sheppard was trapped offworld. They'd been gone for five days and though he was on the way to being well when they returned, he'd cried for his mother nearly the entire time.

"Dulari?"

The voice of Dusty's mother penetrated her musings. "What, _mataji?_"

"We have a guest. The least you can do is pay attention to the conversation."

"Sorry. What're we talking about?"

"About the fact that your brother and his wife are having their first child in a few months."

"Oh." She faced her older sibling with a smile. "Boy or girl?"

Nitya's smile widened as she clasped her husband's hand. "A girl."

Her brother-called George by his family and friends-had never looked as happy as he did at this moment. "And we have chosen the name Jayita."

Dusty's father squeezed George's shoulder. "That is a fine name, my son."

"Yeah. Great name, George." Dusty wasn't kidding. Jayita meant 'victory' in Hindi and a more than appropriate name for this child. George and Nitya had been told years ago that they had a very poor chance of conceiving a child together. The reasons hadn't been disclosed even to their families. "Let me know and I'll come for the baby shower."

"_We_ will come," Chuck's voice put in as he pulled her closer to his side.

"Chuck…"

Getting to his feet, Chuck clasped his hands behind his back, his head held high. "Mr. and Mrs. Mehra, I would like to formally ask your permission to date your daughter."

Dusty's father and mother exchanged a confused glance. "But the two of you have been dating for some time, have you not?"

"Yes, sir. I care very much for Dusty, but I'm not Indian and that's why I would like your blessing."

"Charles, Ashwina and I have already discussed this." Haroon Mehra held his wife's hand. "Dusty is her own person. If she has chosen you, then we could do no less."

"Thank you, sir." The family shook hands all around then he leaned down so Ashwina and Nitya could kiss him on the cheek before returning to Dusty's side.

Dusty took Chuck's hand in hers as lightning flashed followed by thunder that shook the windows of the old farmhouse and the rain fell harder. He looked at her with an affectionate smile and she returned the gesture thinking that he was one of the things she was most thankful for on this dark and stormy night.

**End**


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